Laibson, Sidney
Sidney Laibson, a builder, artist, and community leader, passed peacefully at home on June 18, 2022, surrounded by family. He was 98.
Born May 6, 1924, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, he was the son of Isadore Laibson and Rebecca (Vogel), who immigrated to the US from Berdichev, Ukraine. Sid attended the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan, then served in the Navy during WWII, after which he attended Cornell University where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree.
After college, he was hired as a draftsman at a construction firm, and worked his way up to Vice President, before he left to start his own business, Laibson Construction Company. His firm built many commercial and public buildings in Connecticut including libraries, elementary schools, and buildings at Wesleyan University and University of Connecticut.
Music was an important part of Sid's life and family heritage. He learned to play the piano and the ukulele, but singing was his biggest passion. His beautiful baritone voice would be heard at many family gatherings, birthdays, weddings, and bar and bat mitzvahs, accompanied by calls to dance. There was often music playing in his home.
Sid valued staying active and physically fit throughout his life, from wrestling at Cornell to playing tennis and racquetball, jogging, bicycling, and skiing. He was especially fond of long bicycle rides and went on many cycling vacations. Notable bike trip destinations included Vermont, Arizona, Texas, Amsterdam, Spain, and the Czech Republic.
Sid was deeply committed to Judaism and an ardent supporter of the State of Israel. He was an active member of the Jewish community in the greater Hartford area and served as President of Beth Hillel Synagogue in Bloomfield. He also served on the board of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA), and when CAMERA determined that it did not have the resources to support efforts in the Hartford area, Sid and other chapter members created a new organization, Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting (PRIMER), with him as its first president.
Sid was a gifted artist from a young age and sketched and painted throughout his life. His two beautiful homes in Connecticut and Vermont (which he played a major role in designing and building), are adorned with his artwork. Many of his paintings reflect the Vermont countryside which he loved, with images of barns, fields, rivers, and covered bridges. After retiring, Sid delighted in traveling the world, covering every continent except Antarctica, always with his sketchbook in hand, drawing vivid records of his travels. In his eighties, he enrolled in sculpture classes for the first time and produced amazing works that are on display in his Connecticut home (aka "the museum").
Family was most important in Sid's life. Sid met the love of his life Barbara (Klein) on a blind date arranged
by his cousin in New York City in the 1950s, insisting on the existence of love at first sight. Upon settling in Connecticut, his house was always open, serving as a home to many family members and friends over the years. He annually hosted Thanksgiving and Passover at his home, where he relished creating and passing on tradition to loved ones. Every event held at his home was filled with music, singing and lively conversation until late into the night. Sid was a mentor and advisor to many family members and friends. His sage guidance and warm understanding were sought after by many and will be sorely missed.
Sid was predeceased by his parents, his beloved wife Barbara, and his siblings Bert and Jerry. He is lovingly
remembered by his daughters Carol Laibson and Jolan Laibson; son-in-law Steven Goldberg; grandchildren Michelle Goldberg (and PJ Mccaw), Evan (and Alicia) Goldberg, and Liam Brady; nephews Fred Richmond and Neal Richmond; nieces Robin Richmond and Aliza Agami; grandnephew Ben Richmond, and great grandnephew Xander Richmond; and extended family, including Karen, Brianne, Eric, Leilani, and Jola, and those living in California and Israel.
Family and friends are invited to the graveside service at Beth Hillel Cemetery, 80 Wolcott Rd., East Granby, CT at 11:00 am on Thursday, June 23, 2022. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Simon Wiesenthal Center (wiesenthal.com) or Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center (yadvashem.org).